Caribbean Paradise in Mexico

Crab Migration to the Sea in Mahahual

Crabs marching to the beach.

This is the time of year where the blue crabs make their way to the beach here to lay their eggs. Each year, the beautiful beaches of Mahahual are visited by blue crabs that make their long journey full of obstacles, for the sole purpose of depositing their small eggs in the sea.

This is the famous crab migration, Cardisoma Guanhumi, a species listed as threatened and is being closely followed by Mexican authorities and various conservation groups.

Cardisoma Guanhumi, crab.

The blue crab is under strict care by various factors that have threatened its existence in the region. One of the biggest threats to the crab is cars and trucks. The crabs make a direct course to return to the beach to lay eggs, and sometimes this involves going across roads and highways. Because of this a great number of crabs are run over by cars, cabs and other vehicles.

Crab on road.

This happens a lot, crabs ran over, this is endangering the species.

Some days you will see crabs everywhere on their trek to return to lay their eggs. When I used to live in Barrio 55, you would see crabs walking through the hotel to get to the beach. Some days when I am riding my bike, I have to dodge crabs in the road to keep from hitting them. And it is really bad at night and if you are driving a car they are hard to see.

But it is a wonderful sight to see, thousands of little crabs marching to the sea. it seems that nothing stands in their way on their return to the beach. The crabs will go through houses, bars, and anything else that stands in their way to get to the beach to lay their eggs. Kind of like salmon, they return to the place of their birth, and deposit eggs.